The investigators believe that T cells, cells that are a part of the immune system, are what are causing the neurological problems while also attacking tumor cells. This protocol studies the clinical status of patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorder (PND) as well as their blood to understand the relationship between their neurological disease, their cancer, and their immune system.

Patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorders (PNDs) provide a unique model for studying tumor immunity and neuronal autoimmunity. We hypothesize that T lymphocyte autoimmune dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of the paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, and that killer T cells are involved in the targeting and successful killing of tumor cells in these cancer patients. Furthermore, we postulate that this activity may provide a model for autoimmune brain disease. We will assess the immune responses in PND patients, correlate these with the clinical data (time course of disease, symptoms and signs, disability), and collect and archive clinical data, serum and cells from PND patients for current and future studies into the basic immune system phenomenon present in PND patients.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

16 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with paraneoplastic neurologic disease, diagnosed through the research lab of the PI, or from third party referrals in the NYC area.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Neurological disease which is suspected to be paraneoplastic

No known active additional malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancer

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00327236